Method and apparatus for converting filament into sliver



Jan. 21, 1958 w. w. INGENTHRON, JR 2,820,254

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING FILAMENT INTO SL IVEB Filed May 16, 195e- 2, Sheets-Sheet 1 zyP'Qz J. w

Jan. 21, 1958 w. w. INGENTHRON, JR 2,320,254

I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING FILAMENT INTO SLIVER Filed May 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING FILAMENT INTO SLIVER Walter W. Ingenthron, J12, Andover, Mass assignor to Pacific Mills, Lawrence, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 16, 1956, Serial No. 585,278 10 Claims. (Cl. 19-150) The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for converting bulk filaments, such as rayon, nylon and other man-made fibers of continuous lengths, into a sliver of drafted and separated staples ready to be drawn and spun into yarn either alone or after mixing with other fibers. The invention is in the nature of an lmprovement on the method and apparatus disclosed in the Wilkie Patent No. 2,438,469, granted March 23, 1948.

An object of the invention is to improve the method and apparatus of the Wilkie patent to increase their efliciency.

' A further object of the invention is to improve said apparatus and process to reduce the number and duration of undesired machine stoppages.

A further object is to improve said apparatus and process so that they will provide an improved sliver product.

A further object is to provide a stop motion which will shut down the machine upon beginning of trouble in the rolling of the web into a sliver.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings, where- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the inlet end of the apparatus of the Wilkie patent, No. 2,438,469;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the delivery end of the apparatus, wherein the traveling web of staple is rolled into a sliver;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and,

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation partly in section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Reference is made to Wilkie Patent No. 2,438,469 for a detailed disclosure of the complete process and apparatus upon which the present invention is an improvement. As disclosed in that patent, the apparatus comprises means for forming a web of filament, in one continuous pass of the web through the machine, into a sliver of drafted and separated staples ready to be drawn and spun. The filament, such as rayon 2, Figs. 1 and 2, is drawn from spools 4 by feed rolls 12 and collected and spread by passage through apertures in a guide frame 6, from which they emerge as a flat web 8.

The web is next separated into oblique strips by one or more blunt helical steel threads on the periphery of a steel roll 14 which are pressed strongly against the web supported by the plain metal surface of roll 16.

The next step is to separate the ends of staples which are stuck together by portions of the filament which were crushed and spread by the threads 10 and to break off those portions, if there are any such. This is accomplished by passage of the web through the serpentine 2,820,254 Patented Jan. 21, 1958 passageway between the intermeshing, but not contacting, flutes of rolls 18, 20 which have a faster peripheral speed than the rolls 14, 16 and the feed rolls 22, 24 (which feed the web between rolls 18 and 20), but have a slower peripheral speed than roll 26 and its cooperating apron 28 which remove the web from between rolls 18, 20, all as described in more detail in said Patent No. 2,438,469. It will be understood that the fluted rolls 18, 20 may be omitted.

Another step is to advance the staples in upper layers of the web with respect to staples in lower layers of the web, which operation is referred to in said patent, and herein, as shearing. This is accomplished by rolls 26, 30 and 32 which bear on the top staples and have a greater surface speed than the apron 28 on which the bottom staples rest. Further shearing is accomplished in the same way by rolls 34, 36 and 38 and the apron 40.

Another step is to draft the separated staples by the greater surface speed of the succeeding rolls or aprons by which they are engaged. Thus surface speed of drafting rolls 42 and 44 is greater than that of rolls 26, 30 and 32 and the speed of rolls 34, 36 and 38 is greater than that of rolls 42 and 44.

By this shearing and drafting action, adjacent staples are rendered non-conterminous and caused to overlap one another lengthwise, both vertically and laterally of the web. All staples are merged into a practically continuous and comparatively thin web 46 of such non-conterminous staples.

The final step is to roll the web into a sliver 48 disposed diagonally across the direction of travel of the web and deliver the sliver from the machine lengthwise of the sliver, for example, into a'receiving trumpet (not shown). To accomplish this, the web of staples 46 is delivered to a traveling apron 56 and is picked up and rolled upon itself by a cylinder 52 diagonally inclined to the line of travel of the web and oppositely disposed to the diagonal lines on which the filaments have been separated by the threads 10 of roll 14. The cylinder 52 is driven to rotate so that its lower surface, barely touching the apron, moves at a surface speed at least as great as the speed of apron 50 and in the direction opposite to the travel of the web. The cylinder 52- has a helical rib or ribs 54 on its surface, inclined in the direction shown, so that they tend to move the rolled up sliver downwardly and to the left as seen in Fig. 1. As the cylinder rotates it winds up the thin web 46 of staple fibers into a helical roll of sliver 48 which is discharged endwise of the cylinder 52 as indicated in Fig. 3.

In accordance with the invention I have found that material improvement in the sliver product as well as reduction in the number and duration of unnecessary machine stoppages is obtained by compressing the sliver 48 radially of itself as it is being formed by the rolling action of cylinder 52 upon the traveling web of separated, sheared and drafted staples. This I most conveniently accomplish by a plate mounted generally parallel to and closely adjacent the helical ribs of cylinder 52.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, a plate 56 is disposed adjacent the receiving side of cylinder 52, as shown, spaced from and generally parallel to the apron 50. In the presently preferred embodiment shown, the plate 56 is provided by the lower leg of an angle bar and is disposed approximately horizontal, and, as seen in Fig. 5, parallel to the apron 50. The plate 56 is supported from a shaft 58 by a pair of curved arms 60 secured to the upper leg 62 of the angle bar in any satisfactory manner, as by welding. The arms 60 are received in collars 64 on shaft 58 which collars may be rotatable on the shaft, but, preferably, are fixed thereto, as by a set screw 66. A counterweight 68 carried on an arm 70' secured to one of the collars 64 (or, alternatively, when the collars are fixed on the shaft, secured to the shaft itself), serves to counterbalance the weight of the plate 56, 62 and the arms 60 to permit the plate to rest with the desired pressure upon the sliver 453 as it is being formed by thecylinder 52.

The shaft 58 is mounted in any suitable fashion upon the machine frame for universal adjustment so that each of its ends independently may be raised or lowered and so that the shaft can be adjusted to bring the plate 56 closer to or farther from the ribs of the cylinder 52. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the ends of the shaft 58 are received in self-aligning bearings 72 carried by a bracket 74. The bracket 74 is secured to the machine frame by bolts and nuts 76 passing through slots 73 in the bracket. The slots 78 preferably are wider than necessary to receive the bolts 76 so as to permit both tilting and sidewise adjustment of the brackets 74 to allow shaft 58 to be adjusted to the desired position.

A switch 84), connected electrically to interrupt the main power supply of the machine, is mounted on an adjustable bracket 82 adjacent the counterbalance arm 7%. The roller 84 of the switch, carried on switch arm 86 is disposed in the path of movement of the counterbalance arm 79 so that upon rise of plate 56 above a pre determined position, under the influence of the sliver 48, and corresponding depression of the counterbalance arm 70, the roller 84 is depressed to actuate the switch plunger 88 thereby interrupting the main power supply and stopping the machine. The point at which the switch is tripped upon movement of plate 56 may be predetermined by the setting of the bracket 82.

The plate 56, may, as above described, be adjusted to various different angular positions. It may be adjusted so that one end is higher, i. e., spaced farther from the apron, than the other end, or, it may be set approximately parallel to the apron all as may be found most effective with the particular filament being operated upon. A preferred position for many uses is a position in which the end of the plate at the discharge end of cylinder 52, i. e., the lower left end of the plate as seen in Fig. 3, is set closer to the apron than is the other end of the plate. The position shown in Fig. 4, i. e., with the end of the plate at the discharge end of the cylinder set further from the apron, also is a preferred position for many uses, as is also a position in which the two ends of the plate are about equally spaced from the apron.

The counterbalance 6 is adjusted so that the plate 56 rests on and serves to press some of the air out of the 1 mass of staples as they are being rolled into the sliver, thus condensing the sliver and greatly improving the quality of the product. Being set close to the ribs of the cylinder 52, the plate 56 tends to prevent lapping of the fibers on the cylinder. If fibers should start to go up and over the cylinder, or if an excessively large lump of fibers causes an entanglement on the apron, the plate 56 is lifted, tripping the switch 80 and immediately stopping the machine. I have found in practice that this action is sufficiently rapid to bring the machine to a stop before the cylinder or the apron 50 is damaged.

The counterweight 68 may be adjusted on the arm 70 and locked in adjusted position by a set screw 69 and in this way the sensitivity of the plate 56 in its function as a stop motion may be increased or decreased to the point found best with a particular operation.

My invention is not limited to use with rayon, or other continuous fibers. A continuous sliver of textile fibers of any sort, natural or man-made, may be processed by my process and apparatus to shorten the individual lengths of the fibers and to make a sliver of drafted staples just as herein described with respect to the conversion of continuous filaments.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for converting a web of filaments into a sliver of drafted staples comprising means for separating the filaments into staple lengths, means for drafting the web of staples, a traveling apron for supporting and advancing the web of drafted staples, a helically ribbed cylinder disposed at an inclination to the direction of advance of the apron and in proximity to the supporting surface of the apron for rolling the web into a sliver, and means engaging the staples adjacent the cylinder for compressing the staples against the apron and cylinder.

2. An apparatus for converting a web of filaments into a sliver of drafted staples comprising means for separating the filaments into staple lengths, means for drafting the web of staples, a traveling apron for supporting and advancing the web of drafted staples, a helically ribbed cylinder disposed at an inclination to the direction of advance of the apron and in proximity to the supporting surface of the apron for rolling the Web into a sliver and discharging it endwise of the cylinder, 21 plate adjacent the receiving side of the cylinder spaced from and generally parallel to the apron, and means supporting the plate for movement toward and from the apron.

3. An apparatus for converting a web of filaments into a sliver of drafted staples comprising means for separating the filaments into staple lengths, means for drafting the web of staples, a traveling apron for supporting and advancing the web of drafted staples, a helically ribbed cylinder disposed at an inclination to the direction of advance of the apron and in proximity to the supporting surface of the apron for rolling the web into a sliver and discharging it endwise of the cylinder, a plate adapted to engage the sliver adjacent the receiving side of the cylinder spaced from and generally parallel to the apron, means supporting the plate for movement toward and from the apron under the influence of the sliver, and ad justable means for varying the weight under which the plate rests on the sliver.

4. An apparatus for converting a web of filaments into a sliver of drafted staples comprising means for separating the filaments into staple lengths, means for drafting the web of staples, a traveling apron for supporting and advancing the web of drafted staples, a helically ribbed cylinder disposed at an inclination to the direction of advance of the apron and in proximity to the supporting surface of the apron for rolling the web into a sliver, and discharging it endwise of the cylinder, 21 plate adjacent the receiving side of the cylinder spaced from and generally parallel to the apron but having its end adjacent the discharge end of the cylinder disposed closer to the apron, for compressing the staples against the apron and cylinder.

5. An apparatus for converting a web of filaments into a sliver of drafted staples comprising means for separating the filaments into staple lengths, means for drafting the web of staples, a traveling apron for supporting and advancing the web of drafted staples, a helically ribbed cylinder disposed at an inclination to the direction of advance of the apron and in proximity to the supporting surface of the apron for rolling the web into a sliver, and discharging it endwise of the cylinder, 2. plate adjacent the receiving side of the cylinder spaced from and generally parallel to the apron, means supporting the plate for movement toward and from the apron, and an adjustable support for said last-named means whereby the angular position of the plate may be adjusted in all directions.

6. An apparatus for converting a web of filaments into a sliver of drafted staples comprising means for separating the filaments into staple lengths, means for shearing and drafting the web of staples, a traveling apron for supporting and advancing the Web of drafted staples, a helically ribbed cylinder disposed at an inclination to the direction of advance of the apron and in proximity to the supporting surface of the apron for rolling the web into a sliver, and discharging it endwise of the cylinder, a plate adjacent the receiving side of the cylinder spaced from and generally parallel to the apron, a shaft extending endwise of the cylinder on the opposite side of and adjacent to the cylinder, and a curved arm supporting the plate on the shaft for rotation about the axis of the shaft and thereby for movement toward and from the apron.

7. An apparatus for converting a web of filaments into a sliver of drafted staples comprising means for separating the filaments into staple lengths, means for drafting the web of staples, a traveling apron for supporting and advancing the web of drafted staples, a helically ribbed cylinder disposed at an inclination to the direction of advance of the apron and in proximity to the supporting surface of the apron for rolling the Web into a sliver, and discharging it endwise 0f the cylinder, a plate adjacent the receiving side of the cylinder spaced from and generally parallel to the apron, a shaft extending endwise of the cylinder on the opposite side of and adjacent to the cylinder, means supporting the plate on the shaft for rotation about the axis of the shaft and thereby for movement toward and from the apron, and an adjustable counterweight supported on said shaft tending to move the plate away from the apron.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 including a switch connected to said plate for operation to stop the apparatus upon movement of said plate a predetermined distance away from the apron.

9. An apparatus for converting filaments into a sliver of drafted staples including a traveling apron for supporting and advancing a web of said staples and a helically ribbed cylinder disposed at an inclination to the direction of advance of the apron and in proximity to the supporting surface thereof, for rolling said web into a sliver, the combination with said cylinder of a plate disposed generaily parallel to and spaced from said apron adjacent the receiving side of the cylinder, means supporting the plate for movement toward and from the apron, and a switch adapted to be operated by said means to stop the apparatus upon movement of the plate a predetermined distance away from the apron under the influence of said staples.

10. The method of converting a web of filaments into a sliver of drafted staples which comprises while continuously feeding the web separating the filaments into staple lengths along lines extending diagonally of the web, drafting the web of staples, rolling the web into a sliver having its axis diagonally disposed to the direction of feed of the Web and oppositely disposed to the diagonal lines on which the filaments have been separated, while simultaneously advancing the sliver axially and compressing the sliver radially.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,438,469 Wilkie Mar. 23, 1948 

